Overview
- The Calgary Flames received 22‑year‑old right‑shot defenseman Šimon Nemec and winger Maxim Tsyplakov in a trade announced on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, while the New Jersey Devils got two conditional first‑round picks, the New York Rangers’ 2026 second‑round pick (35th overall) and defense prospect Etienne Morin.
- Nemec was the No. 2 overall pick in 2022, totaled 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games in 2025‑26, and is a pending restricted free agent whose contract status must be resolved by July 1.
- Calgary adds a high‑upside, right‑shot rearguard it can try to sign and insert into top‑pair minutes, and the club has projected cap space to pursue an extension or match an offer sheet.
- New Jersey’s haul gives new general manager Sunny Mehta draft capital to restock prospects or trade for NHL talent; both first‑rounders carry top‑10 protections that can shift which year the Devils actually receive them.
- Coverage frames Nemec as a promising offensive talent with inconsistent defensive metrics, making this a high‑reward, high‑risk move that changes playing opportunities for Nemec and clears salary and depth questions for the Devils.